Circuit breaker mechanism



y 5, 1960 c. E. FRANKE 2,944,132

CIRCUIT BREAKER MECHANISM Filed June 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

624005 E. Fem/ME BY n ArrawA eys CIRCUIT BREAKER MECHANESM Claude E.Franks, Qaznhridge, Minn, assignor to Braharn Industries, Inc., Braham,Minn, a corporation Minnesota Filed June 1, H59, Ser. No. 817,243

8 Claims. (Cl. Mil 172) This invention relates to an improvement in anelectric switch operating mechanism. Particular reference is had to poletop metering housed in a switch cabinet. Especially in home use, such asin rural areas, pole top metering service is less expensive to installthan is a conventional service entrance for the same capacity, as forexample for 200 amp. service. On conventional pole top metering servicethere at present appears to be no convenient and positive remote meansfor disconnecting the service or for service interruption.

It is an object of the applicants invention to provide a remote means ofdisconnecting or interrupting service for a pole type metering devicehoused completely in a switch cabinet.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a positive means forabsolutely assuring that a switch housed in a cabinet is moved to openedor closed position and that it is positively locked in such position.

It is still another object of the applicants invention to very sharplysnap open or close the switch mechanism and to provide positive controlin each of said positions and further to prevent any rebounding ofcontacting surfaces when the switch is sharply snapped to one positionor the other.

It is another object of this invention to provide an electric switchoperating mechanism comprising a toggle member being pivotally anchoredto a stationary member and having a pivoted connection to a movablecontact, and an elongated member having a spring actuating member inconnection therewith for sharply snapping said toggle member to openedor closed position and to positively lock the same respectively in saidpositions and to move said contacting member from a point remotetherefrom.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a very simplyconstructed positive acting switch operating mechanism which will havevery little likelihood of becoming damaged or worn from operation so asto give only partial action. Applicants construction assures a fullyoperative and positive acting mechanism at all times.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation with portions thereof being brokenaway;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken .on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical section on an enlarged scale takenon line 3-3 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section taken" on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, asindicated by the arrows.

With reference to the drawings, like reference characters refer toidentical parts throughout the several views.

A switch housing is shown formed to be substantially parallelepipedhaving a rear wall 11, a bottom wall 12, a top wall 13, a hinged cover14 forming the front 2,944,132 Iiatented July 5, 1960 wall, and sidewalls 15 and 16. In operating position the rear wall is commonlydisposed in a vertical plane. Secured to said rear wall, as by spotwelding, is a plate member 19 forming a raised base having thereabout adownwardly inclined edge portion 20 terminating in a flange 21 in aplane parallel to the plane of said plate member w.

h'ionnted said plate 5.9 by nutted bolts 24 is aswitch mounting block 25having thereon transversely spaced switches 27 and 29. Said switch 27 ishere shown com? prising a pair of right-angled flat electrodes havingoppositely extending portions 27a and adjacent upstanding portions 27bwith said electrodes being secured to said block 25 by bolts 32.Slidably mounted on said upstanding portions 27b is a movable contact 33of a commonly used type adapted to receive said upstanding portionstherein and to provide communication between said electrodes when it isin a lowered position and adapted to in sulate or prevent communicationbetween said electrodes when it is in a raised position.

Switch 29 is identical to said switch 27 comprising a pair of electrodeshaving oppositely extending portions 29a and adjacent upstandingportions 2% with said electrodes being secured to said block 25 by bolts32. Slidably mounted on said upstanding portions 2%. is a movablecontact 34 identical to said contact 33.

Respectively mounted adjacent the ends of said portions 27a and heldsecured by said bolts 24 are terminals 35 adapted to have conduits 36secured thereto by nuts 35a. Also respectively mounted adjacent the endsof said portions 29a secured by bolts 24 are terminals 38 adapted tohave conduits 37 secured thereto by nut-s 38a. Shown leading from saidhousing It are conduits 22 and 23.

Mounted on said plate 19 adjacent the upper end of said block 25 is astationary member 40 here shown as being substantially U-shaped in formhaving a fiat base 41 secured to said plate 25, as by spot welding, andhaving parallel upstanding sides 42 and 43 shown having inclinedportions at their upper rear and front edges. Said sides ll and 43 areshown having right-angled step portions 42a and 43:: respectively tooverlie the adjacent end of said block 25, and said base 41 will be cutout to accommodate the same.

Secured between said sides 42. and 43 in a position at right angles tothe sides and base of said member 40 is a plate member 45 forming a weband having an aperture 46 extending substantially centrally therethroughin a direction at right angles to the plane thereof. A passage 47 isprovided in said plate member '45 extending outwardly from said aperture46 and having a pressure re-.

sponsive detent 48 therein, here shown to be in the form of a ball, atthe inner end thereof adapted to communicate with said aperture, withsaid ball being under pressure from a coiled spring 49 disposed in saidpassage and having a set screw 50 at the outer end thereof to containthe outer end of said coiled spring and to vary the tension of saidspring.

For the operation of said movable contacts 33 and 34 from a remote pointthere is provided a switch operating member 53 which in the embodimentof the invention here disclosed comprises an elongated tubular member 54having a sufiicient wall thickness at one end portion designated as itsupper end to have formed therein longitudinally spaced annular grooves55 and 56. Said tube 4 is of a diameter to be slidably disposed throughsaid aperture 45 in said plate 45 with the grooved end of said tubeextending outwardly thereof or above the same when in operatingposition. Said ball 48 will bear against the surface of said tube andwhen said grooves are respectively centrally positioned in said apertureor when they are moved to pass through said aperture; said ball willengage said grooves under a considerable degree of pres- V V 3 sure.Said tube 54 will be of sufiicient length to extend outwardly of saidhousing at the lower end thereof.

The lower end of said tube 53 is turned inwardly slightly to form asmall shoulder 57 which provides a reduced diameter at the outer end ofsaid tube. Disposed within said lower end portion of said tube 53 is atubular spacer 59 having its inner or upper end turned inwardly slightlyto form a shoulder 60 and which forms a somewhat restricted opening.Spaced inwardly of said tube 53 some distance from said spacer 59 is aretaining pin 62 disposed transversely through said tube 53 and havingits ends flush with the outer surface of said tube. Disposed in saidtube 53 centrally of said retainer 62 and said spacer 59 is a freefloating retainer pin 64, and disposed at either side thereof are coiledsprings 66 and 68 respectively bearing at their remote ends againstretainer 62 and said spacer 59.

Adapted to be slidably disposed in said tube 54 is a rod 70 comprisingan inner end portion 71 of reduced diameter adapted to slide throughsaid springs 66 and 68 and being of a length as shown in Fig. 3 toextend from said spacer 59 to just beyond said retainer 64, saidretainer being disposed transversely through the end portion of saidrod. An enlarged portion 72 of said rod 70 extends outwardly anddownwardly for any desired distance to the point from which it isdesired to operate the switching mechanism. A shoulder is formed betweenportions 72 and 7.1 'which is engaged by the shoulder 60 of said spacer59. Said rod 70 has a terminal end portion 73 of somewhat enlargeddiameter having a bar handle 75 secured to the outer end thereof.

Said housing 10 is indicated in Fig. 2 as being mounted on a verticalsurface 80 which may represent a broken away portion of a pole. Securedto said surface 80 adjacent the free end portion of said rod 70 byscrews 83 is a guide 82 here shown to be in the form of a rightangledapertured bracket. Spaced above said handle 75 is an aperture 86extending through said rod portion 73 adapted to have a pin 87 bedisposed therethrough and having thereon in vertically spaced relationthe indicia 88 indicating on and ofi positions.

A U-shaped bracket 90 having its sides disposed hori- Zontally inrelation to block 25 is secured to the upper end portion of said movablecontact 3-3 by bolts 91 passing through a depending flange 90a of saidbracket.

A bracket 92 identical to said bracket 90 is secured to the upper endportion of said movable contact 34, being secured thereto by bolts 91passing through a depending flange 92a thereof.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 said movable cont-acts 33 and 34 arepositioned to be in planes spaced outwardly of either side of saidstationary member 40.

Toggle members 100 and 101 are respectively pivoted to said sides 42 and43 inwardly thereof adjacent the upper end portions thereof at one setof pivot points 100a and 101a by a pin 102, as indicated in Fig. 4, withsaid pin being secured by cotter keys 103. Said toggle members in theembodiment of the invention here disclosed are shown to be in the formof triangular plate members.

Said toggle members at a second set of pivot points 100b and 101b shownto be somewhat elongated slotted in form are pivoted to said tubularmember 54 by a pin 104 which is retained by the inner surfaces of saidsides 42 and 43. Said pin 104 is positioned in said tube 54 inwardly orbelow said groove 56.

Through a third set of pivot points 1600 and 1010 an elongated rod 106is disposed and is positioned to be received within said brackets 90 and92.

Said pivot points 100:: and 101a are shown to be located in said togglemembers somewhat centrally of the other two sets of pivot points asoperationally positioned and as indicated in Fig. 3, with all of saidpivot points being respectively located at the terminal points of saidtoggle membersj In operating position the housing '10 will be mounted ona pole and operation of the switch therein will be had by upward anddownward movement of the rod 7 0 having its lower end or handle portiondisposed through a guide 82 which will be within convenient reach of anoperator. The handle 75 will be pulled downwardly to open a circuit andwill be pushed upwardly to close a circuit. In its downward of offposition a pin 37 will be disposed through the aperture 86 below theflange of the bracket 82 so that said handle is locked in position toprevent the circuit from being accidently closed. When the rod 70 is inits upper or on position, pin 87 will be disposed through the aperture86 above the flange of the bracket 82 to lock said rod 70 in saidposition.

The upward and downward movement of said rod 70 moves the toggle platesand 101 to actuate the movable contacts 33 and 34 into upper or lowerpositions to respectively open or close the switching mechanism. In thistype of equipment it is desirable to have a positive switching actionwithout any rebounding efiect and to have some means for maintainingpositive control of the switching mechanism so that there can be nopartial movement of the movable contacts, but that they will only be inone of two positions. They will only be in a fully opened or fullyclosed position. Applicant provides a novel structure for effecting thisend.

The ball 48 under pressure of spring 47 as adjusted by the screw 50 isadapted to have a pressure engage ment with the surface of the tubularmember 54 and to lockingly engage the grooves 55 and 56. It takesconsiderable pressure to move the rod so that ball 48 is out ofengagement with either groove 55 or 56.

The upward movement on the handle 75 causes the retaining pin 64 at theend of the rod portion 71 to compress the spring 66 until suflicientpressure is present to break the engagement of the ball 48 as with thegroove 55. Under this pressure at the instant of release the rod 70 willsnap forwardly and as the groove 56 comes into alignment with the ball48, said ball 48 will engage this groove instantly in a lockingposition.

To disengage the groove 56 from the ball 48, the handle 75 is pulleddownwardly with the pin 64 hearing against the spring 68 until a pointof suflicient pressure is reached to snap the groove 56 out ofengagement with the ball 48, and said rod will snap downwardly to thepoint of engagement between the groove 55 and the ball 48. A pin 105 isdisposed through the outer end of said tube 54 as a precautionary stopmember.

The described action of the rod 70 and the tubular member 54 serves tomove the toggle plates 100 and 101, m is obviously indicated in Fig. 3,to move the contacts 33 and 34 upwardly and downwardly to respectivelyopen and close the circuits involved. The pressure of said spring .47 iseasily adjusted by the said screw 50 to whatever degree is desired bythe operator. Separate springs are used for the respective upward anddownward movements of the rod 70 and the tubular member 54 whereby equalpressure is assured as to movement in either direction.

Applicant has provided a very eflective switch operating mechanismhaving few moving parts, being of durable construction and havingpositive action.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above.set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and definedin the appended claims. e

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical switch operating mechanism in con nection with amovable contact member having in combination, a stationarysupportingmember, a 'toggleplate member pivoted at one. terminal pointto 'said stationary member and pivoted'at a second terminal point tosaid contact member, said toggle plate having an elongated slot at athird point, a pull rod, said toggle plate being pivoted to said rod atsaid third point adjacent one end portion of said rod, a pair oflongitudinally spaced angular grooves about said rod forwardly of saidlast mentioned pivot point, an apertured plate member secured to saidstationary member in a plane at right angles to the plane of the axis ofsaid rod, said rod being adapted to slide through said aperture, saidgrooves being positioned to be at either side of said apertured plate, apressure responsive detent recessed in said plate member and adapted topositively engage said grooves when said grooves are respectively movedinto alignment therewith in being moved into and out of said aperturewhereby said rod and said contact member are positively locked intoposition when either of said grooves are engaged by said ball.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, a second rod slidably disposedwithin said first rod for some distance from the end thereof remote fromsaid pivot point, resilient means in connection with said first rod toresist the sliding of said second rod relative to said first rod up to acertain degree of pressure whereby at said degree of pressure saidgrooves will respectively snap out of locked engagement with saiddetent.

3. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movablecontact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member, avertically disposed apeitured plate member extending to one side of saidstationary member at right angles thereto, a rod having one end disposedthrough said apertured plate, spaced angular grooves about said rod ateither side of said plate, a pressure responsive detent in said platehearing on said rod and adapted to engage said grooves, a toggle platehaving a terminal point thereof pivoted to said contact, a secondterminal point on said plate pivoted to said rod at a point spacedsomewhat from the innermost of said grooves and an intermediate terminalpoint on said plate pivoted to said stationary plate wherebylongitudinal movement of said rod moves said toggle plate to move saidcontact to open or close a circuit with said grooves being respectivelyengaged by said detent to positively lock said rod in position when saidcontact is in open or closed position.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, said rod comprising a tubularmember, resilient means disposed in said tubular member, a rod partiallydisposed in said tubular member having an inner end portion thereofsecured to said resilient means whereby said grooves of said first rodare moved into and out of engagement with said detent in said plate whena certain degree of pressure is exerted on said resilient means by saidsecond rod.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, said resilient means comprising apair of coiled springs in endwise relation, a floating retaining pindisposed between said springs, said second rod having its inner endportion secured to said pin whereby movement of said rod exerts pressureupon said springs respectively independently of one another.

6. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movablecontact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member, atoggle member pivoted to said stationary member and having a terminalpoint thereon pivotally connected to said movable contact member, a pullrod, means in connection with said stationary member for slidablysupporting said pull rod, a detent in connection with said means forlockingly engaging said pull rod at a pair of points longitudinallyspaced thereon, said toggle member having a terminal point remote fromsaid first mentioned terminal point connected to said pull rod wherebylongitudinal move ment of said pull rod moves said movable contactmember, a switch, said contact member mounted on said switch adapted toopen and close the same by movement responsive to the action of saidtoggle member, said pull rod having a portion thereof comprising atubular member, a pair of coiled springs in endwise relation retained insaid tubular member, a floating retaining member disposed between theadjacent ends of said springs, a second rod adapted to be partiallydisposed within said tubular member having its inner end portion securedto said retaining member whereby movement of said second rod by means ofsaid respective springs: exerts pressure on said pull rod to move saidpull rod from one engaging point to another in connection with saiddetent to open and close said switch.

7. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movablecontact member having in combination, a stationary supporting memberhaving spaced upstanding sides, a pair of spaced toggle plates disposedbetween said sides and pivoted thereto and being pivoted to said movablecontact member at points spaced from points where pivoted to saidsupporting member, a pull rod slidable through said supporting memberand supported thereby, said toggle plates being respectively pivoted tosaid pull rod at points remote from points where pivoted to saidsupporting member and from points where pivoted to said contact member,a detent. carried by said supporting member to lockingly engage saidrod, said rod having a pair of longitudinally spaced grooves therein forreceiving said detent whereby longitudinal movement of said pull rodpivots said toggle plates and moves said contact member.

8. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movablecontact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member, atoggle member pivoted to said supporting member and connected to saidmovable contact member, a pull rod slidably supported at one end by saidstationary member, said pull rod comprising a tubular member, a pair ofcoiled springs disposed in said tubular member in endwise relationremote from said end of said pull rod having engagement with saiddetent, means for retaining the remote ends of said springs, a floatingretaining pin disposed between the adjacent ends of said springs, asecond rod being partially disposed in said tubular member and havingits inner end connected to said retaining pin whereby said first rod ismoved into and out of engagement with said detent by pressure exertedagainst said spring by said second rod for movement of said movablecontact member, said toggle member being connected to said pull rodwhereby pivotal movement of said toggle member moves said contactmember, a detent in connection with said supporting member engaging saidrod, said rod being engaged by said detent at a pair or longitudinallyspaced points thereon whereby longitudinal movement of said rod pivotssaid toggle member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,680,732 De Tar Aug. 14, 1928

